Can you hear us?
Derek Robertson of LTS looks at the challenge of enabling the voices of pupils to be heard in an increasingly networked world.
Events earlier this summer in Iran and the way in which information has, and is, being shared with the outside world via a range of social networking sites, such as Twitter, is food for thought. It certainly led me to reflect on the emancipatory power of social networking and how it can enable people's voices to be heard, and listened to, in the global village that is our world.
Without these technologies how else would we have heard the various accounts from people directly involved in the demonstrations that followed the elections in Iran? In respect of this current use of technology, it is worth considering the message that J.G Ballard communicated when he said: 'Science and technology multiply around us. To an increasing extent they dictate the languages in which we speak and think. Either we use those languages or we remain mute.'
Without compromise
The need for schools, local authorities and parents to be confident that online tools for learning do not compromise children's safety is of paramount importance. A growing understanding and appreciation by pupils and teachers about how to get the most out of such 'safer and securer' environments is not only a skill but a requirement to live, work, play and be successful in the modern world. We must ensure that learners are given the opportunity to develop these skills in school.
Curriculum for Excellence gives us a framework around which we can continue to positively build on the opportunities that networked environments can offer schools. These environments will enable the development of: successful learners who learn with technology and in so doing, think creatively and independently; confident individuals who are able to develop and communicate their own beliefs and view of the world; responsible citizens with commitment to participate responsibly in economic, political, social and cultural life; and effective contributors who are able to apply critical thinking in new contexts.
There are many challenges ahead but at the heart of what we are doing is the need to ensure that, in an increasingly networked world, our learners' voices are heard.
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